People who have managed zero games have opinions, says Wenger as Arsenal boss hits back at criticism from Scholes

Arsene Wenger has hit back at Paul
Scholes after the former Manchester United midfielder claimed Arsenal
are ‘a million miles away from winning the title’.

The ex-England
star also questioned the leadership within the team and said they play
‘tippy-tappy football’.

Wenger said: ‘If six points is a million miles
away, then I don’t know what the translation from a mile into a point
is. Everybody has opinions, people who have managed zero games have
opinions and we have to accept that.

‘What you live with is what you do on
the pitch and all the rest is only opinions. We are in a society where
there are thousands of opinions every day. Some go for you and some go
against you.’

Reacting
to Scholes’ accusation that Jack Wilshere has not developed since first
making it into the Arsenal team, Wenger said: ‘Jack Wilshere is an
exceptional player who has been handicapped by many injuries.

'Once Jack
is back and consistently on the pitch, he will prove everybody wrong
because he is an exceptional player — and Scholes knows that as well.’

But
Wenger has admitted that Saturday’s clash with Manchester City will be
Arsenal’s last chance to have a say in the title race, saying: ‘This
game is, yes. But I believe that we have to keep going despite the past
two negative results and if people say that Everton can catch us, that
means we can catch the teams above us as well because they play against
each other.

Title blow: Arsenal were held to a 2-2 draw against Swansea om Tuesday after a late Mathieu Flamini own goal

Late drama: The ball cannoned off Flamini and into the Arsenal net as the Gunners dropped two points

Moving in the right direction: Santi Cazorla, Mikel Arteta and Tomas Rosicky at London Colney on Friday

‘The next game is of massive importance because it is Manchester City and they fight at the top.

'They
are the favourites with Chelsea and Liverpool but when you play one of
the favourites, you have an opportunity to shorten the distance with
them.’

Arsenal were beaten 6-3 at the Etihad in December and are now six points behind leaders Chelsea.

Former
Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires — part of Wenger’s Invincibles side who
won the 2003-2004 Premier League title without losing a match — echoed
Scholes’ comments on Friday, saying: ‘You need leadership. That is most
important.

Not holding back: Speaking as a pundit for Sky Sports Paul Scholes was critical of Arsene Wenger's side

'When I played, it was with Tony
Adams, Martin Keown, Lee Dixon and David Seaman — you need that
leadership. Maybe they miss that, especially at these moments.’

Pires
told the London Evening Standard: ‘Sometimes football is crazy and
strange like last Saturday at Stamford Bridge (Arsenal lost 6-0).

'Leaders
change the mentality when you have lost. It is not normal to start like
they did at Stamford Bridge or Anfield because it is like a final.

‘If you want to win the title, you have to win those games so maybe it is a question of mentality.’

Arsenal’s
sudden demise in the title race has prompted a backlash from
supporters, with some planning to protest ahead of the City game.

Some
intend to make their feelings known outside the directors’ entrance and
another group, the Black Scarf Movement, have launched an online poll
with questions about Wenger’s future — asking if members want him to
stay and under what terms.

The
Arsenal manager, out of contract at the end of the season, has yet to
sign the new deal which has been on the table for weeks but insists he
will do so.

Wenger
also revealed that he will play no part in the succession planning at
the club, or make recommendations to the board when he decides to walk
away.

He said: ‘I always said everybody has his job. My job is to do
well for the team, not anything else.’